Family Nurse Practitioner Danille Paley is waiting to see patients at the new Stones River Primary Care Clinic.

Persons in need of non-emergency medical care who are tired of driving to out-of-town clinics or sitting for extended periods of time in a hospital waiting room now have a choice in Cannon County.

A new clinic opens this week next to Stones River Hospital offering convenient family practice-style medical care four days a week and extended hours.

The Stones River Primary Care Clinic, located at 370 Doolittle Road, is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Heading the medical team is R. Danille Paley, a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Paley, a Nashville native, comes to the Woodbury facility after having previously served as an Intensive Care Unit nurse at Centennial Medical Center. She completed her N.P. training at Vanderbilt University.

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has completed specific advanced nursing education (generally a master’s degree or doctoral degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common as well as a few complex medical conditions. Nurse Practitioners provide a broad range of health care services.

Nurse Practitioners treat both physical and mental conditions through comprehensive history taking, physical exams, physical therapy, ordering tests and therapies for patients, within their scope of practice. NPs can serve as a patient’s “point of entry” health care provider, and see patients of all ages depending on their designated scope of practice.

Paley said a nurse practitioner can make diagnosis, write prescriptions and order lab and radiological tests.

The types of conditions patients can go to the clinic to receive treatment for include colds, flu, sinus infection, abdominal pain, sports injuries, strep throat, infections, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

“We can provide assistance and care to persons or their family who are suffering from both acute symptoms and chronic conditions,” Paley said.

“I love the people and the close-knit community here in Cannon County, Paley said. “I feel like it will be a good opportunity for me to be able to give the type of care I want to provide people.”

She has been spending the past several months working with Dr. James Spurlock, who is the supervising physician for the primary care clinic.

“Convenience and accessibility” are the main reasons Stones River Hospital decided to add the clinic to the wide range and variety of services it offers Michele Fowler, Director of Business Development.

“We wanted to make sure we were meeting the needs of the community,” Fowler said. “Danille we be a great compliment to the great doctors we have on staff.”